Prosaic
by Siderial
Summary: A series of disconnected one-shots based off songs. Otherwise known as Siderial's story dump. [CH1: Jaune/Pyrrha, CH2: Ruby/Blake, CH3: Ruby/Weiss]
1. Prom Date (JxP)

**Prom Date**

_(Prom no Koibito/_**プロムの恋人**_)_

**Summary:** Really, it's her I wanted.

_[Jaune/Pyrrha]_

* * *

Jaune sighed, wistfully watching from the balcony as his snow angel, dressed in a breathtaking white evening gown that perfectly complimented her pale complexion and draped around her svelte frame, gently caressing her delicate curves, slowly spun with her prom date on the dance floor. Even from all the way out in the distance, the scrawny blonde – garbed in a pressed black rental suit his teammates picked for him – could see the warmth and joy that radiated off their entwined form; it was impossible not to catch the intimate way Weiss and Ruby held each other – the eyes they gave each other, brimming with silent, mutual tenderness and affection befitting of their youth.

He ran a hand through his slicked-back hair, ruining the well-crimped look Nora had spent hours on; his hair was typically unruly, mostly in part to his failure to brush every day, but the spunky teen had been adamant on making him look dapper that night.

He inwardly apologised for ruining all her efforts in one fell swoop, but thought not much else otherwise.

The twinge in his heart was nothing compared to the bitter taste of defeat lingering on his tongue; he was glad for his best friend, Ruby Rose. Truly, he was, that she could find happiness. And he knew that if not him, there was no one else more deserving of the Schnee heiress's affection – no one else who could treat her the way she deserved to be. After all, in the words of his very insightful friend Pyrrha Nikos, love was a partnership. And they made one of the best pairs Beacon Academy had ever seen. If he were to trust anyone else with Weiss, it would indubitably be Ruby Rose.

Yet, as he loosened his slim black tie and ripped the first two buttons of his white shirt apart to free his wildly bobbing Adam's apple, Jaune couldn't help but resent Ruby. For having the courage he couldn't muster.

The gala event had been announced months beforehand, to grant students the opportunity to perform all their preparations beforehand and avoid anyone complaining of not being given enough time. Instantly, Jaune's mind was filled with the thought of only one girl he wished to ask to the prom: Weiss Schnee. The girl he had been absolutely smitten with since his blue eyes spotted her with Ruby during their initiation briefing; the girl who made his heart sing songs he never knew.

Ever the cliché romantic, Jaune envisioned of a million and one ways to woo the frigid ice queen; to melt her proverbial wall. He wanted to sweep her off her feet – be the white knight who gallantly rode in on his steed and whisked away the princess towards their happily ever after, or the kindhearted, weary traveller who would stumble on a fallen angel and nurse her back to health, before lifting her to greater heights. He wanted to be everything and anything for Weiss – he desired to be her rock, her shield, her pillar.

But he couldn't express any of these aspirations over those few months. Anytime he was to approach Weiss, fate drew them apart; be it a professor calling either of them aside, or friends snatching them away, or just Jaune losing his nerve and scampering away like the yellow-bellied fool he was.

He would always regret it immediately after, fleeing before he could fully voice his intent. But Jaune never quite got past the all-encompassing fear that consumed his very being from the inside-out every time he came near the heiress.

By the time the gala was a mere week away, and he had finally gathered the resolve and materials to approach the cool – if sometimes temperamental – beauty and ask her to be his date, he discovered that it was all too late.

Hiding the bouquet of white roses behind his back, it took Jaune everything within himself to flash his friend a bright smile as she flashed up to him in a flurry of roses, raving to him about the advice he had given her a couple of days ago, to 'go get her'.

He should have probably asked who 'her' was, on hindsight; not that he thought it would have changed anything. In fact, Jaune believed that had he known the girl Ruby planned on pursuing was Weiss, he would have bowed out not-so-gracefully that very moment.

With a resigned sigh, despondent blue eyes trailed after the young blonde's queen and her knight. Preoccupied with his reverie, Jaune failed to detect the striking figure that approached him, despite their strong aura and deep orange evening gown, until a lithe finger tapped him gently on his shoulder.

Snapping out of his plaintive trance, Jaune whirled on his heel to come face-to-face with his date for the night. Her lips, painted a spectacular crimson red, quirked into a small, empathetic smile as she handed him a glass.

"Punch," Pyrrha told him as he sniffed the red liquid with knitted brows. "There's wine available, but I didn't think it appropriate, since we have an early spar session tomorrow."

Jaune's lips twitched upwards as he raised his glass in thanks, before taking a quick sip of the sweet drink.

As he moved to lean his back against the balcony railings, Pyrrha followed suit, observing him from her periphery; she noted the defeated slump in his shoulders, the glazed over eyes, the creased brows, the tie and buttons he had recently undone, the unkept hair, the fist that was awkwardly fumbling about in his pocket as he struggled to contain himself – to not run away and hide in their room, to avoid ruining everybody's night with his selfishness.

Only the faint sound of garbled voices and music resonating from the hall broke what would have been complete and utter still between them.

Pyrrha took a sip of her own beverage. "I'm sorry," she whispered with all the sympathy he didn't deserve.

She caught him wince from the corner of her viridescent eyes.

Jaune swallowed thickly and responded with a stiff shake of the head. "Please don't be," he replied with an equally soft tone.

Internally, the blonde berated himself for being such a lousy date. How dare he be so egotistical, to the point of not appreciation Pyrrha's efforts to help pull him out of his misery, when many of their peers would trade life and limb for the opportunity he had been handed on a silver platter.

_'I must be the worst guy alive tonight,'_ he thought to himself, upset that he had unconsciously hurt somebody else – someone who had always been close to him – because of his inconsiderate behaviour.

Self-loathing built up in him as he glanced at her with remorseful blues, pleading for the forgiveness he knew she would always grant.

It was then he noticed how she hung her head with the most crestfallen expression he had ever seen her wear.

Jaune felt a knife run itself through his chest as he stared at her downtrodden face; someone as beautiful as she should never be so hurt, least of all when they've taken the effort to look as breathtaking as Pyrrha did that very night. It gutted him to think – to know – that it was his fault she felt this way.

Still, he was – as much as he hated to think it because it made him sound like a grade-A ass – _happy_ that she had invited him along. That she would turn down all the other guys and choose to _ask_ _him_ to the prom. As if he were worth something. It filled him with a warm fuzzy something at the time, knowing that someone as amazing as Pyrrha Nikos would have the slightest of interest in him, though he never thought to give it a name.

Realising just how wonderful Pyrrha had been throughout the night – throughout the past few months – made Jaune's everything feel like lead. His mind was too foggy to construct a heartfelt speech of gratitude, and even if it were, his tongue was too stiff to say more than a "thank you" to his partner.

Nevertheless, it seemed as if she understood the meaning behind his words; immediately, tears she had been trying to dam off the entire night began to trickle down her cheeks.

The guilt Jaune felt only mounted, if that were even possible, upon making the Amazonian beauty cry. He began to panic, hastily perching his glass precariously on the railings so as to use both hands to search his person for tissues. The blonde was never good with tears, especially when he was the cause of them, and so his heart thrummed rapidly as he patted his suit jacket down, desperate to try and find some sort of absorbent material to dry his partner's eyes.

Finding none, Jaune frantically pulled of his tie and handed it to Pyrrha with wide eyes. "D-don't cry!"

When Pyrrha peeked over, she giggled. Jaune's suit was wrinkled, his collar was bent out of shape and his eyes were beady and large and riddled with nervous confusion, and yet he still held out his tie with all the innocence only Jaune could carry.

She took it from his grasp and gently wiped away her tears.

As she did so, Jaune looked into her eyes for the very first time that night. They were bloodshot as a result of her weeping, but they gazed at him with an emotion he couldn't quite describe with words; all he knew was that it filled him with a kind tenderness that evoked warmth and hope and everything he could ever imagine feeling from pair he had observed earlier that night.

He had always been a little slow, but Jaune never kicked himself as hard as he did until then.

Even so, he was determined to make amends.

"Hey," he started.

Pyrrha, who had glanced away to peer into the hall, looked at him in question. "Is there something the matter, Jaune?"

The blonde pursed his lips. "No," he said after a beat had passed. "I was just wondering..."

He saw her cant her head from the corner of his eye and sucked in a deep breath. If he concentrated hard enough, he could hear the muted slow number being carried by the wind.

Pyrrha's eyebrows furrowed as her blonde partner paused for thought. "Wondering?" she prompted.

Jaune exhaled steadily as he looked straight into her eyes. "I was just wondering..." Sheepishly scratching his jaw, as he always did out of nervous habit, the blonde gingerly held out a hand. "Wanna dance?

* * *

_I came to realise so late_

_My true queen_

_Is my true partner, someone closer than she is_

_There was someone right here who's able to love me_

_Someone who wrapped me in kindness_

_Love is a partnership_

_You taught me that_

_Come, let's dance_

– **プロムの恋人**/NMB48 (**白組**)

**AN:** The first pair that came to mind when I heard this song.

This is a new project, where I just listen to music and force myself to write things (mostly based off Japanese songs since that's what I've been listening to as of late). Sometimes, it'll be as if I were rambling on and on. Other times, they might actually come out quite well. Whatever the case, I'm hoping that this motivates me to continue writing whatever and whenever I feel like, since my larger projects don't have the same sort of mood. Practice, practice, practice. (Also I hope it encourages people to listen to these artists so I don't feel alone)

Most of these stories will be unbeta'd/unedited, so if there are any issues, feel free to point them out!


	2. Stoic Aesthetic (RxB)

**Stoic Aesthetic**

_(Stoic__な美学__)_

**Summary:** Running out of patience and kissing you wouldn't be beautiful; this is my stoic aesthetic.

_[Blake/Ruby]_

* * *

She sighed for the nth time that night, half-lidded amber eyes watching forlornly as the girl sprawled across her cream-coloured sofa slowly raised her arm and stretched her long, supple fingers purposefully into the air, curling them gently as if to take hold of something.

The skin on Blake's forehead creased along familiar deep-set lines acquired over the years; just how long had it been this way? How long, since the first night that brought Ruby Rose to her couch, her hair matted beyond belief and wide eyes glistening with unshed tears? When, since Blake could say that she could no longer feign blissful unawareness as to the turmoil bubbling beneath the thin layers and guards their quartet had suddenly and subconsciously built? At what moment did Blake realise just what exactly the young woman before her was doggedly reaching out to catch?

When did it occur to her that it would never be her?

Days? Months? Perhaps even a year?

Blake Belladonna had lost count.

Tonight had played out like all the others; Ruby had appeared unannounced – as she always did – cladded in her pyjamas, and with her favourite stuffed teddy bear in hand. As had become the norm, Blake inwardly noted how her eyes – once so _grey _as they sparkled with passion and vigour and excitement – had lost their lustre, leaving only jarring bloodshot orbs in their place. The vibrant sheen her youthful skin had seen had disappeared, lost to the passing of time and places and people.

Ruby Rose was a shadow of her former self, having been stripped until but bare traces of the bubbly young teenager Blake had once had the privilege of knowing was left.

They had chatted just as they had all those years ago, in Beacon Academy; no questions arose about Ruby's haggard state, or the faint bags under her eyes, or the fact that it was evident the small, awkward smiles they both met each other at the door with had been painfully, soul-crushingly, rehearsed.

The stifling mockery of normality would have crushed anybody else under its suffocating weight, saturating the air thickly with its heavy, uneasy amiability.

But they had grown used to it, tolerated it, for it became the sole comfort between them; the ability to transcend the uncomfortable 'how do you do's and 'are you okay's – to ignore delving deeply and unnecessarily into the root of the issue and to speak freely about mindless, nonsensical nothings, in hopes of rediscovering the spark that would rekindle the dying ember of Ruby's chipped spirit.

So far, Blake would like to think that they had made good progress; Ruby came to her more infrequently – every four days instead of every other – and their conversations always flowed more smoothly. In fact, the faunus would like to also believe that she had managed to draw an increasing amount of genuine smiles and even giggles from the overtaxed leader over the past few months. Certainly, an achievement to be proud of.

It was no different tonight; Blake would not pursue anything Ruby chose not to bring up, and for a brief moment, the faunus thought she saw a faint flicker of the girl she used to know within those bleak grey eyes as she cracked a dry smile after one of Blake's recounts. The younger girl, who had been a good sport throughout and helped keep the talk going, had fought valiantly to escape the sandman's grasp once the clock struck three, her head bobbing up and down as she forced herself awake every so often. But eventually she succumbed to exhaustion, as any mere mortal would, and she moved no more, slumped heavily against the plush couch.

Blake had manoeuvred her limp body, now evermore light and bony from the countless skipped meals, and laid the smaller girl flat across her plush sofa with practiced ease, it not being the first time Ruby had fallen asleep from sheer fatigue; it was common knowledge amongst their graduated cohort that the reputable huntress would work for days a time in hopes of avoiding – or at least alleviating – the dreams she would dream when her consciousness had to fade into the slumbering void.

The first time it had occurred, Blake had carefully carried her old leader to her bedroom, where she had been tucked under the warm, thick covers. Before the faunus could even leave the room, Ruby had released a ear-piercing shriek as she bolted up off the mattress, stumbling away with panic-filled eyes and a heaving chest as she battled against the white cotton sheets she had tangled herself in.

It was that night Blake was made to promise never to try and place Ruby in a bed, or even move her from the couch. She was happy to rest on the sofa, Blake vividly recalled Ruby saying. The faunus had not been convinced, and had planned to continue arguing in hopes of convincing her stubborn ex-leader to sleep in a proper bed after avoiding one for god knows how long – but upon hearing the next few words, any retort Blake had on her tongue died promptly as her fluttering heart leapt into her throat, constricting the passageways until the faunus had found it difficult to breathe.

"_It's comfortable, and it smells like you."_

The faunus saw no logic in that, on hindsight. Her bed would retain more trace of her scent than anywhere else in her home, as it was where she laid prone for most of the sparse time she remained within her quarters. Yet, Blake allowed herself to be won over by Ruby's words.

She knew the younger girl was oblivious to her feelings, and it was natural, for Ruby had many things clouding her mind; Blake knew of the relentless noise that fogged her friend's head day in and day out, a vicious buzz that blurred thoughts and feelings into one unsettling lump she could not make heads nor tails of – was privy to the knowledge first-hand from Ruby's own mouth one stormy night. Yet Blake could not help but feel a tiny part of herself curse Ruby for being able to play at her heartstrings so effortlessly and unknowingly – for not being more alert to her burgeoning emotions.

Regardless, Blake submitted to Ruby's request, although she unfailingly covered the girl's form with a thin spare blanket she had procured from her closet every time. This time was no different, as Blake got to her feet and padded towards the nearby dining table. With Ruby's frequent drop-ins, it had become a habit for Blake to drape the blanket over the nearest chair, that being much more accessible and less cumbersome than rummaging through her closet for the object.

Moreover, Blake would never admit it aloud, for fear of changing the dynamics of their relationship and putting the utter trust and confidence Ruby had in her now at jeopardy, but she liked having a piece of Ruby where she could visibly see it. It made her house cozier – reinforced the image that Ruby would be here, later, always, to use it.

Taking the neatly folded blanket into her arms, Blake strode back to the couch with long but quiet steps. She hovered over Ruby for a bit, noting her arm had fallen back down to rest against her side, though she had curled into herself slightly, her sickly pale face was still marred with knitted brows and creases and a frown that never seemed to vanish.

Exhaling steadily through her nose, Blake knelt on one knee to tenderly spread the blanket over her body, heedful to not brush her fingers against Ruby's skin; the cautious was more for her sake than the latter's. Blake learnt from experience that when Ruby passed out this way, on her couch, she was dead to the world until the sun rose – ensnared in the purgatory between consciousness and not. Deep in the abyss of her all-consuming dreams, Blake knew fully well that little could hamper the weak whimpers that occasionally slipped from her lips, or the light quivers that raked her body, or the tears that her body finally let free. Rather, the faunus simply did not wish to touch Ruby without her permission. The temptation was great, to feel Ruby's skin against her callous, battle-worn fingertips, but Blake refused to indulge in the desires of treacherous heart, no matter how much it ached.

She did however, allow a hand to brush the stray strands of thick black hair out of her ex-leader's face. Amber eyes traced over the expanse, watching Ruby's eyelids screw tighter, her expression growing strained as she undoubtedly hit another snag in her sleep. Her gaze flitted down to watch Ruby's lips part slightly as she mouthed something before one of her petite hands reached to graze itself against Blake's, and then catch it in a gentle embrace.

Blake felt her mouth dry and her heart sing as it began palpitating wildly in a chest cavity all too small to contain it. Clenching her jaw in frustration, Blake's free hand balled into a fist as she forced her body to stiffen, having noticed herself draw closer to the prone girl, feeling her willpower gradually slip as the warmth from Ruby's clammy hands penetrated her own and shot straight to her heart, and as her eyes intently focused on Ruby's cracked but still full and surely soft lips.

She pulled herself away slowly – reluctantly – so as stamp out the impulse before it could overwhelm her quickly fleeting resolve. Inhaling sharply, she caught a whiff of a scent that had become inherently associated with Ruby; roses and sweat and jasmine from the shampoo she knew Weiss had loved to use.

Aware that lingering around the girl for any longer would cause the vestiges of tonight's strength to evaporate away, Blake got to her feet and padded to the nearby kitchen, granting them both space and privacy.

She immediately headed for the only counter in the small homely space, leaning heavily against it as all the remaining energy within her had been sucked away after the last one-sided exchange. Sighing laboriously, Blake's head lolled back as she squeezed her eyes shut. her fingers turning pasty white as her grip on the countertop tensed.

Despite herself, Blake wondered what kind of dream Ruby was having to elicit such a response. She wondered if Weiss had been involved, as she always seemed to irrevocably be.

The heiress, after being forcibly split from the group to continue her grooming as the Schnee Dust Company heiress shortly before their graduation, had left them all with a large, irreparable hole in their lives. Ruby in particular had been hit the hardest; the partners clearly showed signs of attraction to one another, and danced around each other constantly throughout the four years at Beacon. In fact, it was blatantly obvious by their senior year that neither would entertain any other suitor, and most students avoided pursuing either. Only the most daft and bullheaded of the cohort ever tried to intervene, one of those people being Cardin Winchester, and it was safe to say that after the brutal display Ruby had put on during combat training against the stocky man, no one dared to attempt again.

Yet fate was a harsh mistress, for despite overcoming their adversaries against all odds, and conquering their innumerable demons, they never got the chance to be anything more than friends; never got to explore the tantalising option that had been dangled in front of them for so long.

After a mission had gone terribly wrong, Weiss – who had shielded a distracted Ruby from what could have been a lethal blow from a Beowulf – landed herself in a hospital. Her injuries were far less severe than what could have occurred to her partner had she not interceded the dying Beowulf's blind swing, with the heiress escaping with deep gouges on her back as bloody medals of her valour, but it mattered not to the Schnees.

Her parents were outraged that their daughter – their only heiress – had had her life put at risk. They entertained Weiss's silly notion of becoming a huntress with the promise that she would be _fine,_ that any and all field work she would be assigned to and accept would be safe and perilous.

Never had they thought the fencing and dust lessons they gave Weiss as a child would amount to seeing their ethereally pale daughter cocooned in white linen, hooked up to a variety of ominous machines that seemed much too loud in the small, silent room.

Ignoring the pleas from Weiss and her friends, they had immediately requested for Weiss to be removed from Beacon Academy, despite graduation looming overhead only months from the incident. Ozpin was in no position to deny them the right, and – with apologetic viridescent eyes that relayed all the regret in the world in one simple glance – pulled Weiss out of the course right there in the all-too-tiny hospital room, with Team RWBY as witnesses.

Shortly thereafter, they had been barred access from Weiss's infirmary ward. Ruby was nothing if not diligent, patiently waiting outside to speak to the heiress's illusive parents, all the while catching quick glimpses of the heiress whenever a doctor or nurse would enter and leave. However, her efforts were all for naught, as the Schnees forbade the 'wretched hooligan' from seeing their daughter. When diplomacy had failed, both Yang and Blake helped the girl sneak into the hospital room well past visiting hours, granting both the seclusion they rightfully deserved.

They had been quickly found out, unfortunately, by a surprise late-night visit from the Schnees two weeks into their routine.

Ruby had never told them why she had been so swiftly kicked out upon discovery, why the trio had been instantly banned from even _breathing _in the same space as Weiss, nor why the heiress had been hastily transferred to another hospital all the way out in Atlas come the next morning, cutting all bonds and ties with the group. Blake never found it fit to ask.

It was easy to assume though, judging from the swollen lips and slumped shoulders and watery, downcast eyes Yang and herself had seen.

Back then, Blake had looked at her with solemn, empathetic eyes; not unlike those one would glance at a sibling or close friend with. Now, the memories only served to make Blake's despondent heart wallow deeper in the abyss of absolute misery.

A quiet sigh escaped from Blake's lips. Whatever the case, no matter the dream, Blake knew – without a doubt – that what Ruby reached for so desperately, grabbed with the most tender and loving of grasps, had been something of hope and effort. A wistful wish of times gone by, and people worth missing.

Blake knew that.

Still, that thought did nothing to soothe the woeful beast buried within her chest. If anything, it spurred the primal, instinctive half of herself – urged Blake to make a move, to voice her discontent with the stagnancy; warned that if she stayed like this, if things _stayed like this_–

–she would be left with nothing but those empty, dismal memories.

Blake sensed a little twinge of pain in her head, signalling the impending headache that was unmistakably about to occur. Gritting her teeth, the faunus felt a wave of need for her dark, late-night companion rush through her, urgently craving its biting companionship.

Hurriedly twisting around to face the kitchen cabinets, Blake jerked the door open and swiftly extracted a bottle of instant coffee from the cupboard – because she was in no mood to painstakingly grind and then steep her coffee beans and the nuances would have eluded her at this time anyway. Twisting off the cap with ill-concealed strength, the faunus reached for the nearest mug on her drying rack and placed it in front of her with a resounding clack. Then, she haphazardly dumped a small mountain of the rich brown powder into the cup, before grabbing the kettle and pouring the steaming water into her mug.

She swirled the concoction around to mix, too impatient and disgruntled to bother rummaging through her drawers for a spoon; it seemed too dignified and collected an action anyway, in Blake's mind, and a sharp contrast from the tumultuous storm that raged inside her.

Deeming it blended enough, Blake brought the mug to her lips and drank a generous mouthful.

The taste was bitter – adult-like – and Blake revelled in its mature flavour as it swept across her sensitive tongue, which had become numbed to the scalding liquid after so many late nights.

It was comforting.

A rush of air escaped from her nostrils as Blake let her eyes flutter shut. The throb in her chest eased into reassuring nothingness.

Blake refused to let her newfound feelings get in the way of her original purpose; she would not sully good intentions with her selfish desires.

Ruby was dear to her – still is no matter the circumstances – and she was determined to mend the younger's heart as the friend Ruby trusted her to be.

The faunus drained the last of her coffee and placed its mug in the sink. She mulled over washing up, but decided otherwise.

Lingering here would only test her waning patience.

Turning sharply on the balls of her feet, Blake marched to her bedroom. Gently shutting the door behind her, Blake allowed herself to rest heavily against the wooden barrier. Tipping her head back, her skull knocked lightly on the sturdy surface.

She would not falter.

But as she ever-so-slowly slid down until her buttocks rested on the cool tiled floor of her bedroom, Blake thought that she had already let herself fall.

She closed her eyes, resigning herself to have spent another night in fruitless wakefulness.

Behind squeezed shut lids, the vision of Ruby's tender lips, so tantalising close that the faunus could almost _taste _them, played over and over again.

Her sharp nails dug painfully into scarred palms.

As the first rays of light trickled in through her window, Blake steadied her breaths and let her guards come up, steeling herself for one more sluggish day.

One more day.

One step closer.

She could take pride in herself then.

Attuned ears picked up the weak sounds of Ruby's shuffling.

'_One more day,'_ Blake repeated like a mantra as she slowly got to her feet. Rubbing her face to get some blood circulation going, the faunus nodded to herself, and then opened the door. Walking out, she greeted a disheveled Ruby with a small smile.

"Morning," the other girl croaked quietly from beneath the warm blanket she cloaked herself with, reciprocating with an upward curl of her own lips.

Amber eyes softened a little more than they did yesterday.

"Hey."

* * *

_If I can wake your heart properly_

_I can take pride in myself_

_This is my stoic aesthetic._

- **Stoic****な美学** (Stoic na Bigaku), AKB48

**AN:** 'Purple prose' was the first thing that came to mind. I wanted to make it heavy and clunky and awkward to read; like someone's thoughts when they're in turmoil, it's not really straightforward nor succinct. Also, this was an excuse to flex vocabulary, if I'm honest. I think it got lost in the middle, but hopefully I managed to pull it together in the end. At any rate, I should really write more Maroon/Ladybug.


	3. Zipper (RxW)

**Zipper**

_(__ジイパー）_

**Summary:** Leave it to me; your heart's zipper, I'll unzip it for you.

_[Ruby/Weiss]_

* * *

Ruby reclined into the plush sofa chair with a quiet sigh, feeling the pressure ease off and gradually dissipate from her lower back. They needed to get a taller table, Ruby grumbled inwardly, glaring holes into the mountain of paperwork she had yet to complete; despite having spent most of the night toiling away at the thick stack, the veteran huntress – even with years of experience – still found difficulty in completing the necessary documentations.

When she joined Beacon Academy all those years ago, this hadn't been what she signed up for. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, Ruby then proceeded to stretch her aching muscles with a groan. The popping of joints completed her body's grotesque-sounding morning symphony.

Out of the corner of her eyes, Ruby took note of the time. Sluggishly getting to her feet, Ruby padded out of the homely living room into the nearby kitchen, where she began to unhurriedly prepare a pot of coffee – the sort her girlfriend was partial to. The scent of freshly ground coffee beans filled the room as Ruby slaved over the countertop to painstakingly grind away manually, because they had quickly discovered early in their relationship how _noisy_ a machine could be. Ruby frowned, gritting her teeth in concentration as she accidentally missed a beat and threw herself off-sync. Akin to the ever-dreaded paperwork, Ruby had obtained much practice for the trivial task, yet continued to struggle because it was _finicky._ The labour was not a problem for the lithe yet aptly-muscled girl. Rather, it was how slowly she had to work so as to _not_ send coffee particles everywhere.

At any rate, Ruby managed to finish the task within minutes, and with little mess. Wiping away the imaginary sweat that formed on her forehead with the back of her hand, Ruby heaved a breath and grinned proudly at a job well done. The young accomplished huntress carefully dumped the powder into their fancy machine and pressed a few buttons in sequence, as instructed by her girlfriend long ago – shortly after the disaster that was her trying to operate machinery not related to weaponry – before turning around to lean against the cool marble countertop with a content quirk of the lips as she patiently waited for their drink to brew.

This was what had become of her life. Papers, coffee, and the occasional scuffle. A little more docile and homelier than she had envisioned, for it wasn't the constant string of heroic pow-wows against Grimm and villainy that her fifteen-year-old self expected, but Ruby wouldn't have it any other way.

"I'm going to be late!"

From her periphery, Ruby noted that it was a little past eight, and she allowed herself an almost imperceptible smile. Just as the machine beside her emanated a loud gurgling sound, signalling the brew's completion, a lithe body hurtled in from the hallway, footsteps light though slightly clumsy as she struggled with a non-cooperative little black dress.

"Why didn't you wake me up?!" Weiss exclaimed, nailing Ruby with the most intense glare she could muster so early in the day.

Ruby gulped, though it wasn't entirely from fear. Warm greys almost reverently soaked in the sight of her gorgeous girlfriend, hair loose and slicked back, still slightly damp from her usual morning shower. Even after all this time, Ruby couldn't shake away the feeling of awe and desire that overcame her and sent her heart slamming into her ribs when she laid her eyes on the petite beauty. And really, who could blame her, when the scorching look, tousled mane and beads of water that still clung to Weiss's defined collarbones remind Ruby so much of the long, languid nights – and occasionally days – they would spend together in bed? Shaking herself out of her trance, because she knew her girlfriend well enough that she'd be righteously mad if Ruby failed to give her answers, the accomplished huntress cleared her throat and smiled sheepishly. "You looked too cute sleeping in?"

Weiss narrowed her eyes into dangerous slits, stalking past Ruby – while still half-undressed, having momentarily given up the fight against her dress – to reach for the cabinet. Straining on her tiptoes, Weiss managed to flick the door open and grab a box of sugary cereal her girlfriend loved so much; the two lovers rubbed off on each other more than they would like to admit, and Ruby's sweet tooth was only one of the many things Weiss inadvertently adopted. Shooting a look over her shoulder, Weiss said, "I know for a fact you haven't stepped into our bedroom since you got up to write your report, Ruby Rose."

Ruby flashed a toothy grin and took the few strides necessary to practically pin Weiss against the countertop, much to the girl's feigned irritation. "Well I could see you whenever I closed my eyes," she said with barely concealed mirth, emphasising the statement by closing her eyes for a few scant moments before they opened, gleaming with ageless mischief. "So I really didn't want to disturb you."

Weiss groaned, rolling her eyes as she pushed Ruby away by the shoulder, though the latter saw the twitch at the corner of her lover's lips, betraying ill-hidden affection. "You're such a sap, you know that?"

Ruby couldn't contain the giggle that bubbled in her chest. "I know," she happily replied, watching her girlfriend bustle about gathering utensils for her breakfast, and then moving to rummage through the refrigerator, undeterred by the chill that hit her uncovered skin. "Yang said that if I got any sappier, I'd turn into a maple tree."

Weiss hummed, not a stranger to the blonde's odd quips. "Where's the milk, Ruby?" she asked, tone mildly disgruntled as she shoved aside perishable goods in her hasty search. "I swear we still had some left."

A quick glance showed that the carton of milk had, in fact, been stowed away on the fridge door shelves, rather than any of the interior compartments Weiss was beginning to tear apart. Ruby swiftly swooped in, plucking it from its perch. "Here," she offered as soon as Weiss turned around, having felt Ruby's presence.

Weiss shot her a thankful glance and accepted the chilled liquid, intent on making her way to the dining table. However, just before she could take more than a couple of steps, Weiss heard the refrigerator door shut with a weak suction-like noise, and then felt a cool hand rest itself on her arm, stopping her in her tracks.

"Calm down Weiss," Ruby soothed, rubbing her frazzled girlfriend's soft pale skin as she slung her other arm around Weiss's bare shoulders, calmly guiding the ivory-haired girl to the table. "You'll make it on time, like you always do."

Weiss heaved a sigh, reluctantly letting the firm yet gentle grip direct her until she was sat on a well-crafted chair, with her bowl of cereal placed in front of her. "Now tuck in," her girlfriend lightly commanded her as she paced back into the kitchen, "and I'll get you a mug of coffee."

Finding no resolve within herself to oppose, and frankly feeling a part of herself trill at how endearing and considerate Ruby was being, Weiss relented and deftly poured skimmed milk over her small mountain of cereal until the meal was effectively doused in the liquid. As she daintily spooned a sizeable pile into her mouth, savouring the crunchy texture, Ruby returned with two steaming mugs in hand.

Carefully sliding one to her girlfriend, Ruby took a sip from the other, relishing the comforting, heavy taste of the copious amounts of creamer and sugar she dumped into her beverage. "We should really get that low blood pressure of yours checked," Ruby muttered. "It's been what, years?"

Placing her now half-empty mug back onto the table, Weiss defiantly blew at the stray strand of hair tickling her nose. "I told you even then that this isn't a problem, Ruby."

The accomplished huntress pursed her lips, partially annoyed and partially resigned to Weiss's obstinacy. "It makes it difficult for you to wake up early, doesn't it? I'd say that's a pretty big issue." She held up a finger to silence the rebuttal Weiss had primed. "And increasing your caffeine intake does not make up for it."

Weiss huffed, annoyed that they were spending time beating a dead horse. "Ruby–"

Her call fell on deaf ears, as said huntress's eyebrows knitted together in thought. "I know we tried to fix it before, but maybe we need an actual dietician's advice–"

A small tick began to develop on Weiss's eye. "Ruby–"

"–but who would know a really good doctor–"

Weiss felt the veins in her neck strain as she gritted her teeth together. "Ruby–"

"–maybe Penny–"

Upon hearing the robot girl's name, something in Weiss's psyche seemed to snap, and burning jealousy inundated every fibre of her being as a knot welled up in her chest. "Ruby!" she exclaimed, loud and sharp enough to jolt her girlfriend out of her reverie.

"Wh– huh?" Ruby sputtered, blinking rapidly to focus on Weiss; a small part of her conscious noted that her girlfriend looked substantially peeved. Setting her mug down, Ruby cautiously approached her seemingly volatile lover. "Is something wrong, dear?" she gently asked.

Weiss relaxed on seeing the tender look in Ruby's eyes and hearing the sweet tone, instantly feeling any and all aggravation evaporate away. "No, I just…"

"You just?" Ruby prompted, concern in her gaze.

Weiss cleared her throat. "Please zip up my zipper for me?" she softly asked, half-turning to reveal her pale, unmarred back. She knew it was a little cheap, steering the conversation elsewhere like this – and that her jealousy was irrational, for Ruby was smitten with her and Penny was essentially asexual – but she couldn't help herself.

Ruby melted, unable to resist her girlfriend's request, no matter how suspicious the circumstances. Reaching out, she let her fingers graze over smooth skin, eliciting a small throaty sound from Weiss that ignited the smouldering flame in Ruby's chest. She slowly did up the black dress, her heart drumming rapidly and erratically as a surge of overwhelming, all-encompassing love flooded her very being. The urge to hold Weiss in her arms shot through her as she finished zipping the dress, and it wouldn't be very Ruby-like to not cave into her impulses.

So she did.

Weiss made a noise, the only thing to hint at her shock, as warm hands encircled her right below her bosoms.

"Ruby?"

"Hmm?" said girl murmured, nuzzling her nose against her girlfriend's sensitive neck.

Weiss tensed, a faint moan of approval slipping from her lips. "What are you doing?"

Ruby breathed in the intoxicating scent of something so very distinctly _Weiss_. "Holding you."

Years ago, Weiss would have vehemently struggled against the physical contact. Now however, she simply sighed contently, leaning back into a firm body as they basked in the calm.

They would have blissfully remained like that, had it not been for the shrill yet distant scream of Weiss's phone slicing through their peace.

Weiss huffed, squirming out of a deflated Ruby's loosened grasp. As she stormed into their bedroom, Ruby shuffled back around the table with a pout to reclaim her now tepid mug of coffee.

"–no you– I'll be right there, just _stall_ them," Ruby heard Weiss bark as she stomped back into the living room, now with handbag in tow. "I don't care _how_, just think of a way!"

Even with her reputation as one of the most formidable huntresses Vale had ever seen, Ruby couldn't help but involuntarily cringe in fear – and sympathy – when her enraged girlfriend scowled and haphazardly chucked her handphone aside, ending the call.

"I hired an assistant to _assist _me, not drag along _more_ problems," Weiss growled, setting her purse on the dining room table so she could properly scour through its contents, in search of her eyeliner. Her phone rang again, incessant and intrusive as ever as it vibrated against the wooden floor around the vicinity of their sofa, but Weiss paid it no mind as she found her makeup and hand mirror and immediately set to work applying the finishing touches.

The corners of Ruby's lips upturned slightly. At one point in her life, she would have been equal parts terrified and dumbfounded by Weiss's single-minded tenacity and aggressiveness. However, her assertive approach to life and its predicaments no longer astonished Ruby; little about Weiss did, in all honesty, after all they had been through.

Throughout the six, going on seven, years that they had been together as partners, Ruby discovered many nuances about Weiss. Moreover, she knew that each and every single one of those things always taught her one of the most important things about her girlfriend: That Weiss Schnee was unstoppable. Nothing on their fair planet could or would stop Weiss when she was in the midst of something, and Ruby wholeheartedly loved that aspect of her girlfriend.

Those who couldn't understand Weiss's perfectionist streak would be irked by the dogged resolve she carried and forced upon others. But Ruby understood, watching her girlfriend dump her things back into the handbag, just what it was that made Weiss so special.

More than anyone else, Weiss was truly _alive_.

She lived and breathed purposefully, each and every moment; and it took Ruby all she had to not drown in such breathtaking, soul-consuming spiritedness.

Throwing her purse on, Weiss marched to their wall mirror affixed next to the entrance, her eyebrows knitted in vexation. "I can't find my car keys," she groused, ironing down the crinkles that had formed in her dress as best as she could with her hands. Then, when she believed she did all she could for the apparel, Weiss moved to rake her fingers through voluminous ivory locks, inwardly debating whether or not to leave it down, or tie it into the severe high ponytail she preferred since graduating.

Ruby, detecting her girlfriend's struggle, strode forward with hair tie already in hand; she knew how much her girlfriend would regret _not _tying her hair up later in the day, as she despised the way it'd get into her eyes and distract her from her work – something Ruby used to always her complaining about at the end of a long day when they first moved in together. It was from then on that Ruby made it a point to always have some on hand in the morning.

Besides, she thought with a small smirk as she gently bounded Weiss's tresses, she liked being the only one to regularly see Weiss with her hair down. Ruby wouldn't say she had a possessive streak by any means – Weiss clearly held the honours between the two – but Ruby would readily admit that she revelled in being the only one to see Weiss stripped bare, both literally and figuratively.

Her luxurious locks was only one of the many facets that contributed to said bareness.

Making a noise of assent when she completed her task, Ruby rested her chin on Weiss's shoulder. "I'll drive you," she whispered, brushing her lips gently across her girlfriend's cheek. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the reflection in the mirror, and how Weiss's face now carried a hint of pretty pink. Certainly, no one could deny that Weiss Schnee was drop-dead gorgeous, especially with how her toned legs looked in the tight, formal dress. Yet, Ruby couldn't get enough of the flustered her either.

"S-stop it!" Weiss hissed, pulling away from her girlfriend to move towards their shoe cabinet, though her tone spoke more of embarrassment than annoyance.

Ruby laughed as Weiss pulled on a pair of strappy heels. Business as usual.

"Ugh, come on you dolt," Weiss said, straightening herself before she grabbed one of Ruby's coats from the nearby hanger. Shoving it into her girlfriend's arms, Weiss used her other hand to roughly grip Ruby by the collar of her slightly baggy shirt, yanking her down low enough so that Weiss could peck her on the lips.

Weiss drew away with a smug, sultry curl of the lips, relishing the look of pleasant shock on Ruby's red face. Pivoting on her heel, Weiss sauntered out of their apartment, leaving a dazed Ruby in her wake.

It was only as Weiss turned around the corner to where their flat's elevators were that Ruby snapped out of her trance. Ignoring the butterflies that still fluttered in her stomach every time Weiss would do something so spontaneously sweet, Ruby swiftly tugged on her jacket and stuffed her feet into her favourite slip-ons.

Another hectic morning, she mused with a wide, irrepressible grin as she stepped out and locked the door behind her.

"Ruby, hurry up! The lift is here!"

"Hang on, I'm coming!"

And Ruby Rose wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

_"Please _

_Zip up_

_The zipper on the back for me"_

_If you ask me in a spoiled voice_

_The zipper on the back_

_I'll want to hold you _

_In my arms._

- **ジイパー**/NMB48

**AN:** I guess this became something like a future one-shot; a spin-off of the Ruby and Weiss from WFLT. Cutest pair of dorks.


End file.
